Connecting means for bed rails



1,644,281 C. H. RUTH CONNECTING MEANS FOR BED RAILS F'ild June 9,1924

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Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

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CONNECTING MEANS FOR BED RAILS.

Application filed June 9,

My invention relates to bed frames, and has for its purpose the provision of simple and efficient means for securely and detachably connecting the rails of a-bed frame so 5 as to rigidly hold the rails in frame formation.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a. connecting means for bed rails having cam elements co-operating to force lo-the bed rail into contiguous relation with respect to a connecting member embodied in the connecting means, and a latch for maintaining the cam elements against movement soas to secure the rail to. the connecting member.

I will describe only one form of connecting means for bed rails embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1' is a view showing in top plan, with a portion thereof broken away, one form of connecting means for bed rails em-- bodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a view showing in side elevation, and partly in section, the connecting means shown inFigure 2;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the connecting means in a position for coupling;

Figure at is a vertical sectional view taken on theline ll of Figure 2. y 1

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, my invention in its present embodiment is shown as applied to an angular side rail Sand a flat end rail E, the latter .being riveted or otherwise secured to a connecting member designated generally at K.

This connecting member is formed from a single sheet of metalincluding a plate 15 having one vertical edge formed with a right angularly disposed flange 16 to which the end rail E is secured. Upon the upper horizontal edge of the plate 15 an attaching flange 17 is formed and disposed at right angles to the plate 15. At one end of the flange 17 is a vertical extension 18 disposed in vertical alinement with the flange 16 and co-operating with the latter to provide means for attaching the connecting member as a unit to one of the corner posts (not shown) of a bed frame. As shown in Figure 4, the extension 18 and flange 16 are formed with openings 19 through which bolts or 1924. 1 Serial No. 718,921.

rivets are extended for securing the connecting member to the bed post. The plate 15 and the flange 17 of the coilnecting member K are formed with cam slots 20 and 21, respectively, and these slotsare adapted to receive pins 22 and 23 formed on the vertical and horizontal portions, respectively, of the bed rail S. The cam slot 20 is inchned upwardly to provide a cam edge 20 adapted to be engaged by the pin 22 and operating to force the pin downwardly during its longitudinal movement in the slot and to thus impart a corresponding movement to the side rail 5, as will be more fully described hereinafter. it is to be noted that the lower end of the slot 20 is disposed horizontally to accommodate the pin 22 and to providea horizontal cam edge 20* against which the pin binds to maintain the horizontal portion of the side rail S in lirm contact with the flange 17. The slot 21 is inclined toward the free horizontal edge of the side rail S, as clearly shown in Figure l, to providea cam edge 21 which is engaged by the pin 23 for forcing the flange 1'? inwardly, toward the vertical portion of the side rail. It is to be noted that the pin 23 is relatively short as compared to the pin A third pin 24 fixed to the rail b engages a cam edge 25 formed on the plate 15 and operates in conjunction with the pin 22 and the cam edge 20 in forcing the side rail downwardly into iirm contact with the connecting member.

In practice, the connecting member K having been permanently associated with the bed post and the end railE, the side rail S can be attached to the connecting member by positioning the two parts as illustrated in Figure 3, wherein it will be noted that the pin 22 is disposed within the slot 20 and the pin 23 in position to be inserted into the slot 21. By moving the side rail S toward the flange 18 the pin 22 is caused tov ride downwardly within the slot 20, thereby forcing the side rail downwardly to cause the pin 23 to move into the slot 21. As the pins move longitudinally in their slots they engage the cam edges and thus force the side rail downwardly and laterally to cause its right angular surface to snugly contact with the corresponding surface of the connecting member K. As the pin-22 moves into contact with and along the cam edge 20 the pin 24L is moved into engagement with the cam edge 25, and the co-action of these pins and cam edges operates to move the side rail S into firm contact with the connecting member so that any play between the two is positively prevented and a movable connection between the two insured.

With the connecting member and side rail so connected, a latch member L pivoted on a plate 15 at the point indicated at 26 is swung from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure. 2, wherein its free end engages the pin 22 to maintain the latter in the horizontal portion of the slot 20. It will be noted that by virtue oi the mounting of the latch gravity acts to maintain the latch in latching position and any movement of the connecting member or side rail in an attempt to effect disconnection thereof will exert pressure upon the pivot 26 without moving the latch member L. \Vith the pin 22 locked in the lower end of the slot it will be clear that movement of the pins 23 and 2'42 is likewise prevented so that the three pins co-operate with the cam edges in maintaining the connecting member and side rail in firm contact with respect to each other.

To disconnect the side rail from the connecting member it is only necessary to swing the latchmember L to the position shown in Figure 3, when by rearward longitudinal movement of the side rail the pins 22, 23' and 2a are caused to move free of the cam edges, with the pin 23 moving completely out of the slot 21, therebyallowing removal of the pin 22 from its slot by lateral movement of the side rail S.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of connecting means for bed rails embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 1

What I claim is:

1. A corner fastening for beds, comprising a connecting member having a plate formed with an angularly disposed flange, the plate and flange provided with cam slots, one of the cam slots being centrally tilSPOSBtl' of the flange and extend-inc obliquely thereto and the plate cam slot 'ieing of angular contour, an angular shaped rail member disposed over the plateand flange and having studs extending into the cam slots, said slots and their coact-ing studs mutually acting as the rail member is moved longitudinally inonedirection to cause said rail to move downwardly and laterally into snug engagement with said connecting member.

2. A corner fastener for beds comprising a connecting member formed with a plate la-rly disposed plate and flange provided with cam slots, the plate formed with an irregular shaped edge providing a cam surface, an angular shaped sidciail disposed over the plate and flange and having studs extending intothe cam slots and bearing on the cam surface respectively, and a latch carried by the plate and engaging one of the studs, to hold same at one extremity of its slot.

at. Connecting means for bed rails comprising a connecting member having a horizontally disposed flange formed with an obliquely extending cam slot, the said 'memher having a vertical flange formed with a um slot having angularlyrelated branches, the vertical tlange'havinga cam edge at one end, and a side rail having horizontal studs and a'vert'ical stud, the latter adapted to be presented to the obliquely extending slot and the said horizontal studs adapted to=respectively coaet with said cam edge and said second named slot sothat all of said studs and said slots and said cam edge mutually act to force the side rail downwardly and laterally into binding engagement with sail member.

5-. Connecting means for bed rails 'con'r prising a connecting member having a horizontally disposed flange formed with an obliquely extending cam slot, the said member having a vertical flange formed with a cam slot having angularly related branches, the vertical flange having a cam edge at one end, and a side rail having horizontal studs and a vertical stud, the latter adapted to be presented to the obliquely extending slot and the said. horizontal studs'adapted to respectively ooact with said cam edge and said second named slot so that all of said studs and said slots and said cam edge mutually act to force the side rail downwardly and laterally into binding engagement with said member, and means movably mounted on the connecting member and adapted to coact with the stud of said second named slot to hold the side rail against casual separation from said connecting member.

CHARLES H. RUTH. 

